Chapter 73
“Pfft!”
I knew I shouldn’t be laughing in this situation, but I couldn’t hold back the burst of laughter.
Even though he said what he did, Joshua’s hand pointing at Roel was so proper that it looked hilariously serious.
Rita, too, had turned her head to the side and was clamping her mouth shut tightly.
“Miss! I’m serious!”
“Ah, I know. I know……”
I wanted to hold it in, but it had gone beyond what I could endure!
After a long while of stifled giggles, I finally managed to look Joshua directly in the face.
“Shushu, you talk a lot like Dad, don’t you?”
“Huh? No, I don’t!”
“But you do! Do you think I can’t recognize my dad’s way of speaking?”
“It’s not that……”
“Did Dad tell you to do this? To be on guard against all the men who come near me?”
“……”
Wow. He couldn’t say a word and just nibbled at his lips, which meant I hit the nail on the head. I had poked at it jokingly, but…
Dad really shouldn’t have done this… If he was that anxious, he shouldn’t have let me come!
Of course, if anyone should be blamed, it was Dad, not Joshua. Joshua was just carrying out his orders.
And at the same time, he was performing his role as a bodyguard. To Joshua and Rita, who knew everyone around me, Roel was a stranger to be wary of.
“Friend, friend.”
“Friend?”
Joshua’s eyes went wide. A mix of surprise and disbelief was painted on his expression.
I couldn’t tell him the truth about Roel’s identity, so I had fudged my answer—but had he seen through it?
“……Yeah, why?”
“Miss, you had a friend?”
“Huh?”
“Not counting Miss Sireia of the Habrel family, is there another friend we didn’t know about?”
“……”
So right now… he wasn’t surprised that Roel was a friend, but that I had a friend other than Sireia?
The reaction was ridiculous. Did he really think Sireia was my only friend…?
‘……Sireia is the only one, right?’
Even if I wanted to argue with Joshua, I couldn’t.
No matter how many other names I tried to think of, among the heirs of the Saryong family, the only one I could genuinely call a friend was Sireia.
Do I call her a friend I just recently made? No, that’s weird, too. Saying that wouldn’t explain why I jumped off the carriage.
And I couldn’t tell the truth anyway……
“……Yes, a friend.”
“Is that so?”
Joshua’s drawn-out tone and the way he looked at Roel were laced with suspicion.
“We’re really friends, you know?”
“But the person sitting next to you is a completely unfamiliar face.”
I glanced at Roel, who was sitting beside me. Just as Joshua said, it was a completely unfamiliar face.
Seriously, what kind of idiot is this? Where did your sense go? Of course, you should agree!
When I glared at him, Roel let out an awkward “haha” and couldn’t hold his gaze in one place. He looked clearly guilty.
You’ve ruined everything!
“Alright then, if we’re calling him a friend, so be it.”
“No, Shushu. Don’t just call him a friend—he really is!”
“Yes, yes. Could you tell me your friend’s full name and family?”
Finally, the moment came! I had expected Joshua to want to confirm Roel’s identity. Even if we weren’t judging people by their family, it’s natural to know which family he belonged to.
So, before boarding the carriage, we had prearranged a story. Fortunately, neither Joshua nor Rita had ever seen Roel’s face.
Moreover, just by looking at Roel’s features, it would be hard to pinpoint a particular family.
“Rosta Philonia.”
“‘Philonia’…… I’ve never heard of that family. How about you, Rita?”
“Me neither, it’s new to me.”
Of course, they wouldn’t know. It was a family we had just made up!
I had expected this outcome. There are very few families Joshua and Rita wouldn’t know after so many years. Especially if it were a family living in the Baekryong family territory.
“It’s not a family established in our territory. I guess it’s a small place somewhere nearby.”
“Ah……”
“Please don’t ask further. There’s a reason I can’t go into detail.”
Not being able to speak freely isn’t the same as lying. Roel hadn’t told me anything, so apart from knowing he’s royalty, I barely knew anything.
This was frustrating. There was no proper way to force him to speak, and even if there were, it would have been torture. What could I do?
Anyway, Joshua and Rita had agreed not to interfere with my decisions, so they couldn’t press me further.
So this had to be the final strike. To prevent any more questioning. Of course, suspicion would remain.
“You can trust me to handle it, right?”
“……”
Rita and Joshua looked at each other simultaneously.
After a brief silence, Rita turned her head first. She let out a long sigh and spoke.
“Honestly, I’m a bit uneasy.”
“I don’t cause trouble.”
“No? I don’t think you realize it, but you tend to cause a lot of trouble subtly.”
I glared at Joshua, who had interrupted, with all my strength.
He quickly backed down, for someone who had spoken so boldly.
After dealing with Joshua, I looked at Rita again. She now seemed to have resolved her internal hesitation.
“Understood. How far is your friend, Rosta, going? Please tell us the destination so we can drop him off there.”
“He’s coming with us!”
“Excuse me?”
“He has nowhere to go after running away from home.”
Sorry, Roel, for turning you into a runaway in front of them. But I guess it’s not entirely wrong.
This must be a constant stream of surprises for Rita and Joshua, with me tossing bombs non-stop.
But what can I do? Look at how frail he is. Could I really leave him here?
“No, but—”
“Do as she says.”
Rita cut Joshua off mid-sentence, giving the answer I wanted.
“Really?”
“If that’s her wish, we will comply.”
I was a bit suspicious. I knew Rita wouldn’t agree so easily usually.
I also felt like the conversation wasn’t over, and I waited for her next words.
“However, we will continue to keep a close eye on your friend, Rosta.”
Of course. They wouldn’t agree without conditions.
Still, I felt that Rita truly cared and tried to understand me.
I didn’t know Roel that well, but his appearance didn’t suggest he’d cause trouble.
“It’s not that we don’t trust you. This is to prevent unforeseen incidents, so I hope you understand.”
“Okay, got it.”
Nothing should happen, right? And if it does, I can fix it.
After the discussion about Roel concluded, the carriage we were in began to speed up.
The atmosphere was similar to usual, but something felt subtly off. I knew the reason, so I silently stared out the window.
The Hwangryong family estate wasn’t far, so by just after noon, after traveling diligently since early morning, we entered the territory.
Passing a large welcome sign, colorful butterflies began fluttering outside the window.
Each flutter felt as though they were greeting us warmly.
“Oh, it’s really hot here.”
“That must be why the Governor doesn’t like coming here. I’ve seen Theo grumbling every time he comes.”
Joshua, fanning himself through the window, reflexively provided information I didn’t need to know.
It was natural enough that I just let it slide.
Soon, streets lined with buildings of all shapes and sizes appeared, leading to a magnificent mansion.
If our home is like a mansion, then the Hwangryong family’s mansion is……
“……A castle?”
“Seems like it.”
Joshua seemed to be thinking the same.
Meanwhile, Rita observed the castle-like mansion with keen interest.
“Even just the mansion’s structure reveals each family’s character.”
“Really? I thought all homes looked like ours.”
“The Heukryong family’s mansion looks like a tower. From the ground, you can’t see the top floor—it’s that tall.”
Hearing Rita, I wanted to see it with my own eyes someday. Hopefully, I will.
“We’ve arrived!”
The carriage stopped with the coachman’s announcement. Cheers erupted outside. At least a few dozen people seemed to be shouting.
“Let’s go.”
With Joshua escorting me, we got out of the carriage. What we saw was enough to fluster me.
“W-What is this?”
“I wasn’t informed either……”
Rita, Roel, and Joshua, who got out behind me, all wore the same expression.
“Woooah!”
As expected, a few dozen people surrounded the carriage, cheering loudly.
They held signs with welcoming messages, and the orchestra’s grand music filled our ears.
Petals were even flying in the air. I reached out, thinking I might be hallucinating, and caught one—it was real.
This situation, which I wanted to believe was a dream, was definitely not.
“Senicaaa!”
Amid the massive reception, a familiar voice rang clearly through the cheers.
A path formed through the crowd, like parting the Red Sea, and a woman ran barefoot towards us.
Her short golden hair bounced as she ran—the head of the Hwangryong family, Gabi Lothen.
When Gabi slowed and stopped in front of me, she hurriedly bowed in greeting.
“I pay my respects to the head of the Lothen family.”
“Oh my, Senica. You don’t need to be formal with me!”
When I raised my bowed head, Gabi hugged me tightly. I was flustered, unsure how to respond—no one had ever been so physically affectionate with me.
I glanced at Joshua and Rita for help, but they averted their eyes.
Of course, what could they do? The one giving me trouble was none other than the head of the Hwangryong family.
Gabi released me, then placed her hands on my shoulders and looked me over.
“How did you grow up to be so pretty?”
Her high-pitched voice, so different from my family’s, was hard to get used to.
“Ha, th-thank you.”
Her glittering golden eyes made me even more uneasy.
O-oh no… Maybe I shouldn’t have come here…… I want to go home!
